Wireless communication networks typically include wireless access systems with equipment such as wireless access, control, and routing nodes that provide wireless communication services for wireless communication devices. A typical wireless communication network includes systems to provide wireless access across a geographic region, with wireless coverage areas associated with individual wireless access nodes. The wireless access systems exchange user communications between wireless communication devices, service providers, and other end user devices. These user communications typically include voice calls, data exchanges, web pages, streaming media, or text messages, among other communication services.
In some implementations, communication systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) communication systems may employ relay nodes that can act as an intermediary between a macro LTE access node or base station and the end wireless communication devices. Accordingly, when a wireless communication device requires a communication, the device may transmit data to the relay node, which in turn, transmits the data to the macro LTE access node. Similarly, when data is to be received by the wireless communication device, the macro LTE access node may transmit data to the wireless relay node, which forwards the data to the end wireless communication device.
However, while relay nodes may provide an effective method of distributing wireless resources and signaling to wireless communication devices, it often becomes difficult for the macro wireless access node to manage the allocation of wireless resources to each of the available relay nodes. This could cause a relay node with a large number of connecting devices to receive inadequate signaling to provide communication services to the connected wireless devices.
Overview
The technology disclosed herein enhances the allocation of Long Term Evolution (LTE) resources to wireless relay nodes. In one implementation, a method of operating a LTE wireless access node to dynamically allocate resources to a wireless relay node includes exchanging first signals with the wireless relay node using a quality of service class identifier (QCI) and a first scheduling weight for wireless resources available to the QCI. The method further provides, receiving a device summary from the wireless relay node, wherein the device summary indicates at least a quantity of wireless communication devices communicating with the wireless relay node. The method also includes, determining a second scheduling weight for the wireless relay node based on the device summary, and exchanging second signals with the wireless relay node using the QCI and the second scheduling weight.